Day 1

PHXDW Conference Schedule | Saturday, October 5, 2024

8:00am

registration

Pick up your badge and find your seat – get ready to experience the Oasis!

9:00am

Welcome

Emcee Rick Burress with PHXDW Director Sheila Schumacher

This year's events provide an incredible opportunity to learn from local professionals and design leaders across Arizona. Gain valuable advice on job hunting, participate in hands-on software and maker workshops, and get a glimpse of the future of the industry. Check out the amazing lineup we have this year:

9:15AM

Grit and The Art of Creative Endurance

Natalie Kent

This talk delves into the delicate yet critical balance between perseverance, passion, and rest in creative work. Kent, creative director of Focus Lab, pulls back the curtain of challenging projects, and shares lessons on how to maintain a resilient spirit with a balanced creative life. This session offers real-world examples and powerful strategies for designers to embrace a healthy mindset and build their own creative endurance.

Natalie Kent (she/her) is the Creative Director of Focus Lab, a global B2B branding agency, and a leading champion of the creatives, innovators, and originals of the world. Overseeing teams of strategists, writers, and designers, she balances pursuing big, fearless solutions that can change the world with empowering creatives to live a healthy, balanced creative life, whether it’s setting realistic project goals to accomplish within a 40-hour workweek, or encouraging hobbies outside of work.

10:00AM

How to Grow Your Design Business

James Archer

I’m sharing insights from 25+ years in the marketing industry (including 12 years running a design & marketing agency) to help you get over your hangups and really grow your design business.

10:45AM

morning break

11:00AM

Breakout sessions

Choose from one of six breakout tracks covering the topics: Skill Building, Community, Design Education, Tech & Innovation, New Perspectives, and Creative Oasis.

So You Think You Know Illustrator?

Chris Carls

Get advanced tips and lesser-known tricks from Adobe Illustrator expert, Chris Carls. You’ll also be exploring new features and learning how to maximize your workflow and files for increased efficiency. While this talk isn’t designed for beginners, it can certainly inspire anyone on the power and potential of the application.

How to Bloom in a Creative Desert

Adele Mulford

Sometimes, we think that everything has to be "just so" in order to succeed in our creative work. But challenges, limitations and constraints can sprout unexpected growth. Whether it's a hard job, a career twist, a failed project, a difficult client, inspiration can be found in even the most surprising circumstances.

Design Education for Sustainable Behavior

Catalina Cortes

Designers have been instrumental in creating goods and services that contribute to human development. Nevertheless, in the process, they have also, directly and indirectly, helped damage the environment. The presentation will delve into the knowledge and practice of Design for Sustainability in design education. We will discuss how design educators must rethink design pedagogy and practice to support designers and non-designers in assessing and transforming the values by which products, services, and systems are created. This presentation will cover the concept of sustainable behavior and the power of design education to leverage new individual, collective, and institutional knowledge toward more sustainable futures.

Design Systems for Small but Mighty Teams

Morgan Clark & Anna Everhart

Our goal is to show folks that creating a Design System with variables in Figma is not as daunting as it might seem! We will walk through how you can replace four components with just one, by setting up variables and giving back time to smaller teams who want to work smarter and not harder.

Producing a Podcast is Not Extra Work

Brittany Acevedo

Repurposing what you are already doing to podcast- leverage your content creation, produce it! Actionable item, step by step and good better or best option. Design a podcast that’s a portfolio!

Beyond “Make It Pretty” – Thriving as a Misunderstood In-House Designer

Ben Scolaro

In-house designers, unite! So often, we're the odd ones out: we navigate a world of demanding bosses and colleagues who rarely understand what we do yet seem to always think they have the next great design idea. Rest assured, you are not alone. Let's talk about concrete strategies that will help you define your role and scope, communicate your value, quantify your workload, and create a Design Oasis where you can cultivate your best work.

12:00PM

lunch break

Visit one of many nearby downtown Phoenix restaurants on your own, or add on a boxed lunch to share together with your fellow attendees. See Add-Ons section of order form.

1:30PM

Breakout sessions

Choose from one of six breakout tracks covering the topics: Skill Building, Community, Design Education, Tech & Innovation, New Perspectives, and Creative Oasis.

So You Think You Know InDesign?

Prescott Perez-Fox

Adobe InDesign is 25 years old, but many creatives — even working designers — still aren’t taking full advantage of its tools and capabilities. Join Prescott Perez-Fox, veteran graphic designer and Adobe Certified Professional in InDesign, for hard-hitting tour of some of InDesign’s fundamental frameworks, best practices, underrated workflows, extendable capability, and future features. Attendees will be armed with plenty of tips and tricks to bring back to the office, as well as new ways to approach projects and team collaboration in their familiar setting.

Counter Intuitive Creativity

Chad De Miguel

How to leverage more creativity with less, helping your team finishing strong, getting the best ideas from the hardest places.

The Life of A Logo

James Bowie

What happens to a logo after it is designed and put into use? Ten years ago, Dr. Bowie, a sociologist at Northern Arizona University who studies trends in logo design, served on a committee that helped create a new logo for NAU. Since then, he has been collecting images that illustrate how the logo’s design, use, and meaning have developed over time. He will present this visual evolution with an eye to the larger significance of logos in our society.

Cultivate a Lifelong Learning Practice

Erica Brooks

In our hyper-changing society where AI sometimes feels like a specter coming for our jobs, technology is constantly evolving, and trends shift in an instant, successful designers need to be able to adapt their skills and learn on the fly. This talk will discuss the importance of being a lifelong learner and provide a framework for cultivating curiosity in your own life and career.

Designing with Both Halves of the Brain

Garren Lofgreen

Design can be beautiful, but it also has to be functional. We are problem solvers in a visual space. This is why I believe it is crucial to exercise both sides of the brain to become a great designer. Understanding the analytical, functional, strategic side of design helps designers connect better with target markets, collaborate with clients, and create meaningful work.

The Power of Play

Sara Chambers

Discover the importance of creative hobbies that are tactile, screen-free, and purely for personal joy. This session aims to inspire you to embrace creativity as a muscle that thrives on freedom, exploration, and making mistakes without the high stakes. Learn how non-monetized creative activities can enhance your well-being, boost problem-solving skills, and reignite your passions. Learn how to incorporate playful practices into your routine for a more balanced and fulfilling life.

2:15PM

afternoon break

2:30PM

Welcome from AIGA Arizona

Molly Meisenzahl

2:45PM

How to Design for Innovation and Not Sell Out

Joseph Carter-Brown

In this talk Joe will share his journey of navigating the tricky balance between innovation and staying true to his values. He’ll walk you through the experiences that shaped his design philosophy and sparked the creation of the Impact Outlook Toolkit to help tackle ethical dilemmas, identify risk areas, and act as rules of engagement for a human centered design practice. We’ll explore how sticking to your principles can actually drive more innovative, and impactful design work. And hopefully get you thinking about how your own values can guide your career, without ever having to sell out.

3:30PM

It's Your time, What Will You Do With it?

Panel: Eric Torres, Jon Arvizu, Bob Case with GG LeMere

As creatives we all face the unknown together. Sure, we all need to get paid in order to survive. But in the end, time is our greatest resource. How do we sustain a creative career over time? Will AI permanently damage our view of creativity as the human gift it is? Is it possible to remain inspired in today's economic climate? We know you have questions. We don't have all the answers, but we have ours. Join us for an audience-led interactive Q&A session to get in on the conversation.

4:15PM

DAY ONE: WRAP-UP

Rick Buress, Emcee

Wrap up the day with emcee Rick Burress, hear announcements about tomorrow, and gather at the main stage for the famous annual PHXDW group photo!

Day 2

PHXDW Conference Schedule | Sunday, October 6, 2024

8:30AM

registration

Pick up your badge and find your seat – get ready to experience the Oasis!

9:00am

Welcome back

Rick Buress, Emcee

9:15am

Inglourious Beginnings: Your Worth Unchained

Evelio Mattos

Unchain your value, take control of your career, and stop settling for less. This isn’t a success story—it’s a call to action for creatives to own their future. Get an unfiltered look at the moments that change everything—because sometimes, to find your worth, you have to blow everything up.

10:00am

How Culture Affects Typography

Nikki Villagomez

In this presentation, Nikki Villagomez will explore how culture affects typography and the decision-making process in everyday life. She will use typographic images taken throughout her travels alongside photos from Phoenix, including manhole covers, neon signs, ghost signs, hand lettering, and historic signs. She will provide a side-by-side comparison in type choices highlighting the similarities and differences in type choices across various settings. Get the books! Nikki will have copies of her books Culture+Typography: How Culture Affects Typography ($20) and (her brand new book!) Culture+Typography: Examples in Font Pairings ($35) for sale at the event.

10:45am

morning break

11:00am

breakout sessions

Head to the breakout sessions on the first floor!

How to Make Your Printer Love your Files

Jennifer Decker & Brian LeGreca

Practical and nuanced tips and tricks for best results in design for print. Learn from the team at Prisma Graphic, one of the nation's largest print marketing logistics companies, based here in Phoenix with locations nationwide.

Lessons from a Self-Taught Designer

Kameron Davis

Four years ago I left my career in engineering, became a designer and have worked to create a place for myself in the design world. Along the way there have been many lessons, failures, shenanigans, and late nights! I want to share those lessons with everyone, let you know you aren’t experiencing this alone and that connection and community is out there.

Greek Out! Jumpstart Creativity with Lessons from Aristotle

Anne Brownfield Brown

Have you ever hit a wall while ideating on a creative project? Visual rhetoric can offer a path out of the morass. Rhetoric, originally developed in ancient Greece as a method for producing persuasive speeches, can help you generate unique and memorable visual concepts. Visual rhetoric draws on type and images to reinforce a message through a series of time-proven approaches. In this workshop, we’ll explore these principles and discover how they continue to invigorate some of the best contemporary design.

Intro to Motion for Graphic Designers

Brian Wood

If Illustrator and Photoshop are in your creative toolkit, and you want to take your flat artwork and add some life with After Effects, then join me. No, you won't master After Effects after sitting in this session. But you will see a path forward to learning motion design and how you can take Illustrator (and some Photoshop) content and bring it to life!

From Blueprints to Brushstrokes: When Engineering Meets Graphic Design

Peichi Jiang

In this talk, I’ll share my journey of transitioning from electrical engineering to thriving in graphic design. My unique path blends the precision and problem-solving of engineering with the creativity of design, providing a fresh perspective through an engineer’s lens. I’ll share my observations and the lessons learned, showing how diverse experiences can lead to innovative solutions. Whether you’re a seasoned designer or considering a career change, you’ll find inspiration and practical advice on embracing new opportunities and proving that it’s never too late to pursue your passion.

How Rest Can Help Your Creativity Flourish

Angelee Lopez

A flourishing life is one where you are feeling good, functioning well, and making an impact. Join Manifest House for an interactive workshop guided by Angelee Lopez (she/hers), Certified Meditation Guide, Wellness Educator, and the Founder of Manifest House. Together, we'll explore the mindset shifts and self-care practices that promote wellbeing and help your creativity thrive! Learn to identify your personal burnout signals, take inventory of your life areas that need attention, and ways to infuse your daily life (and creative practice!) with intentionality. You’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of what holistic self-care is (and isn't) and a personalized toolkit full of practical strategies that will help you show up as your best—for yourself, your family, your clients, and your community.

12:00pm

lunch break

Visit one of many nearby downtown Phoenix restaurants on your own, or add on a boxed lunch to share together with your fellow attendees. See Add-Ons section of order form.

1:30pm

breakout sessions

Manage Color Like a Pro

Rick Buress

To Be Announced

Community Impact Events that Make a Difference

Elaine Kessler

During polarizing times, communities need space to grow together in productive, meaningful ways. Learn how to support your organization’s initiatives through an arts and civics-engagement-styled event. Immerse yourself in this uniquely engaging session that integrates music, art, design, and poetry to foster meaningful connections, collaboration and consensus-building. The session will rely on audience participation, so come prepared to connect and share ideas. Attendees will walk away empowered to bring this type of program to their lives and organizations.

Bridging Graphic Design and Instructional Technology

Patience Walton

This session will show you how to leverage visual design principles to create more effective and engaging learning experiences. You'll gain practical strategies to enhance your projects, whether you're a graphic designer venturing into e-learning or an instructional designer aiming to improve your visual skills. Leave inspired with actionable techniques to elevate your design work in educational contexts.

From Concept to Cash: Discovering Your Side Hustle

Julie Bonner

It’s time to unlock the power of your creative talents and find that perfect side gig that excites you and brings in the cash! In this exhilarating workshop, we’ll identify your core strengths and skills. Drawing from real-life experiences, including my freelance business, art products, teaching, and more, I’ll walk you through proven strategies I wish I had known when I started. Get ready for invaluable insights that will fast-track your journey to side hustle success.

Design and Mental Health

Barney Abramson & Alisha Abramson

Welcome to "Thriving Creatively," a transformative workshop curated specifically for creative professionals seeking to nurture their mental wellness and excel in their careers. Throughout this workshop, Barney and Alisha will lead you through immersive sessions designed to address common career hurdles, identify signs of work-induced stress, and equip you with practical strategies for nurturing your mental well-being. "Thriving Creatively" is designed for creative professionals who want to unlock their full potential. Gain valuable insights and actionable tools to achieve your aspirations as a graphic designer, writer, photographer, or any other creative trailblazer.

At the Heart of It All

Jon Arvizu

I have been riding a wave of personal and professional challenges my entire life. My work and my life are intertwined in a way that few people experience. I have realized how my personal art is providing insight into my own past, present and future as all good work should. I will share honestly about what meaning and purpose I have gained from being creative for only myself in addition to a professional career. I will share tons of examples and welcome interactions with the audience.

2:15pm

afternoon break

2:30pm

Supercharge Your Creativity with Gen AI

Brian Wood

Gen AI is everywhere, and it deserves a spot in every creative’s toolkit. You can use it for brainstorming, overcoming creative blocks, streamlining tedious tasks, and enhancing your design narrative. In short? Gen AI is the uber-assistant you never knew you needed. Discover how your fellow creatives are leveraging Gen AI to work faster and smarter while maintaining control over their creativity and workflow.

3:15pm

Safe is Dangerous

Ken Phox

In this lively keynote, Ken draws on his creative journey from the grind of a top ad agency to the freedom of freelancing, and now to running a bold tequila company – and flips the script on conventional wisdom, revealing how the real danger isn't in taking risks, but in blending in and playing it safe. Comfort zones kill, and in a world where bland is the new danger, standing out is your only option. Through stories of crafting award-winning campaigns, navigating the wild ride of freelancing, and shaking up the spirits industry, Ken will inspire you to embrace bold moves and show you how to pitch them with confidence – because getting buy-in is half the battle in turning daring ideas into reality. By the end, you'll be ready to ditch the safety net, embrace risk, and confidently sell your vision to anyone who needs convincing.

P.S. Be sure to stick around for a special treat from Tequila Corrido!

4:00pm

DAY TWO WRAP-UP

Rick Buress, Emcee

Best of 2024 Announcement, Door Prizes, and a big Thank You! See you at PHXDW 2025 – September 20–21, 2025!